Ambassador Scieszka stopped by the MARTHA STEWART SHOW this month to give Martha and her viewers tips for getting kids reading. Martha was very gracious and entertaining.
The NY Times Book Review ran a nice review of SMASH! CRASH! last Sunday.
But I love the piece Lisa Von Drasek (Children's Librarian at Bank Street) for B&N Online. She really got how TRUCKTOWN is all about letting kids play.
Lots more books coming out in June. And I'm working on the Trucktown Online World with a great group called Chorion. It should launch next fall. This will be a place where kids can hang out with their favorite truck . . . and actually BE a truck.
I've been traveling all over the country, spreading the Trucktown word, and getting into my Ambassador job. One of the best parts of the job so far has been collecting great suggestions about what kind of Ambassador STUFF I should be getting.
Here is the list, so far:
cape
sash
laurel wreath/crown
bejewelled goblet
those little flags for my car
guards for my embassy
an Apache attack helicopter (my idea)
jetpack
Popemobile
jetpack-Popemobile
instant restaurant reservations anywhere, anytime
a fancy uniform
medals
epaulets
a Captain Crunch style admiral's hat (Dave Shannon's suggestion)
Secret Service Franking privileges (mine also)
lifetime diplomatic immunity, for anything (ditto)
a million dollars (surprisingly not mine, but very nice)
official seal
diplomatic pouch
rank above TSA officials
Ambassador underwear
championship wrestling style belt
require everyone to address me as "Your Excellency" or "Your Eminence"
a butt of Malmsey (traditional payment for England's Poet Laureate)
a red phone Ambassador Hotline
Keep those great suggestions coming.
That's the new title our CEO and leader Mr. Scieszka is asking us to use when we talk to him now. He's been appointed the first National Ambassador of Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress. And we haven't seen him since they gave him his official sash and personal Ambassador Helicopter with the fancy Ambassador Seal on the door last Thursday,
We did hear him on NPR's All Things Considered on Saturday.
We hope he is having a good time . . . while some people are working.
get ready for TRUCKTOWN. The first book, SMASH!CRASH! goes on sale January 8, 2008. It tells the heart-warming story of two trucks, best friends, who do what they always do – smash and crash things. The End.
I'm doing a giant Tour from NY to CA with the 3 amazing illustrators who brought the trucks to life – Dave Shannon, Loren Long, and Dave Gordon.
You can see the first draft of the schedule here.
This promises to be some good truck fun.
. . . that I can't believe I haven't told you about.
Tomorrow night, November 8, the Brooklyn Public Library is honoring Jacqueline Woodson. Great writer. Wonderful neighborhood character.
I'm going to be the M.C. And Mo Willems and I are offering ourselves as an auction item. Always fun to be goofing around in the library.
More fun next week . . . which I will tell you about . . . next week. Promise.
I'm off and running all over the country to show off COWBOY & OCTOPUS.
From Bethlehem to Omaha to Albuquerque and beyond.
Get the full schedule at the Penguin Books website.
See you at your local store.
Okay, Summer Hours are over.
Everyone put your shoes back on and start buying books.
Tons of great authors will be at the Brooklyn Book Festival Sunday, September 16.
Everyone's pal, Mo Willems and I will be at the Kid's Stage at Borough Hall Plaza.
More info at: www.brooklynbookfestival.org
Great News for all JS Worldwide users! Starting today, JSWW will begin operating under Special Summer Hours. You may stop viewing all pages at noon every Friday until further notice. Get an early start on the weekend. Who deserves it more than you?
Special Summer Hours Note: Please maintain regular M-Th hours, and double-time hours for Sat-Sun.
"Always Thinking of You"
JSWW Management
It's May. The end of May. And you know what that means. June. Coming up.
The COWBOY & OCTOPUS picturebook is finished. Lane Smith and I will be showing it off at the Book Expo America convention in NY next weekend.
And I've finished a whole garage full of TRUCKTOWN books. The first picturebook, SMASH!CRASH! will be out January 1, 2008. A bunch of Ready-To-Read books will come next. Then board books, coloring books, puzzle books, and every other kind of book will follow.